Britax Poplar
The Britax Poplar is one of the newest seats from Britax. They have discontinued their Marathon, Boulevard, Advocate, Allegiance, and Emblem convertible car seats. But the Poplar comes with the ClickTight installation that we absolutely love. It makes the installation so quick and easy for caregivers. It also has a quick adjust headrest aka no-rethread harness like many seats on the market, which makes it easy to adjust the harness height as your child grows. Check out our Britax Poplar car seat review below to see if it is the right seat for your child!
- You have a small backseat.
- You need to fit 3 across.
- You want a car seat that is easy to install.
- You have a vehicle with non-removable headrests.
- You want to skip an infant seat.
- SafeWash fabric option is flame-retardant free
- Lock-off
Our Review of the
Britax Poplar
The Britax Poplar is one of the newest seats from Britax. They have discontinued their Marathon, Boulevard, Advocate, Allegiance, and Emblem convertible car seats. But the Poplar comes with the ClickTight installation that we absolutely love. It makes the installation so quick and easy for caregivers. It also has a quick adjust headrest aka no-rethread harness like many seats on the market, which makes it easy to adjust the harness height as your child grows. Check out our Britax Poplar car seat review below to see if it is the right seat for your child!
Our recommendation: From 6 months old until the seat is outgrown (average 5/6 years old)
A convertible car seat that can be used rear-facing and forward-facing
From 6 months+
Stand Out Features of this Car Seat
SafeWash fabric option is flame-retardant free
All of the Britax Poplar fabrics are made from Britax’s SafeWash fabric, and they are free of flame-retardant chemicals. For other car seat options that are made without added FR chemicals, check this post.
Seat is good for you if
You have a small backseat.
When it comes to rear-facing convertible car seats, space can be a major concern. Whether you have a tall front seat occupant, a small backseat, or both, the Britax Poplar’s 6-position recline options can offer a space-saving profile for older kids! Like all rear-facing seats, the Poplar’s front-to-back footprint depends on the recline setting chosen by the adult installing the car seat. When this seat is installed on the most upright rear-facing recline setting, it is one of the most compact rear-facing convertibles on the market!
You need to fit 3 across.
One of the best specs of this seat is that it is only 17 inches wide. It’s a good option to consider if you need to fit three people or car seats in one row. The ClickTight panel makes it easy to get a snug installation as well, which is really helpful in a tight three-cross situation. Check out all our recommended seats for three-cross situations here.
You want a car seat that is easy to install.
When it comes to easy, straightforward, wrestle-free car seat installation, ClickTight is about as good as it gets! Britax’s innovative ClickTight technology both tightens and locks the vehicle seatbelt for you. All you have to do is thread the vehicle seatbelt through the correct belt path, buckle it in, gently remove any obvious slack, and close the ClickTight panel. For caregivers who struggle to tighten seatbelts or lower anchor (also referred to as latch) straps when installing other car seats, the Britax Poplar might just be the answer to your car seat woes.
When installing the Britax Poplar car seat, note that the ClickTight panel is designed to be used with the vehicle seatbelt. Don’t even bother with a lower anchor installation; a seatbelt is the way to go for this seat!
You want a car seat with a seat belt lock-off.
This seat has a seat belt lock-off. So it can be a good option in vehicles older than 1996 that don’t have locking seat belts or need to be installed in international vehicles.
Use caution if
You have a vehicle with non-removable headrests.
If your vehicle has non-removable headrests, we do not recommend that you buy this seat. It is unlikely to be compatible. You can check this post for car seat options that do work with non-removable headrests.
You want to skip an infant seat.
Since this is a new seat, we haven’t had a chance to see any newborns in it yet. Therefore, we can not say for certain whether it does or does not fit newborns well. For more information on this topic, head here.
Quirks to be aware of
Harness Covers
The harness pads on this seat have some complicated rules. They cannot be removed from the seat at all as they are permanently attached. There is a way to store them, though. For rear-facing children between 22-40 pounds, the harness pads must be attached to the harness. They must be used for the entire forward-facing mode unless you are installing with a lap-only belt. Since most vehicles do not have lap-only belts, this exception would not apply to most people. But if it pertains to you, check the car seat manual for further instructions.
Infant Insert
The lower infant insert that goes under the child’s bottom must be used until the child is 22 pounds, at which point it must be removed.
V-Shaped Tether
The top tether should always be used when a child is forward-facing. Britax’s top tethers are v-shaped instead of the typical top tether design. Generally this kind of top tether will go around both sides of the vehicle’s headrest.
Child Fit Information
Installation Information
Airplane Use
The Britax Poplar is an FAA-approved car seat. It’s not a lightweight seat by any means, but you certainly can travel with it. Just get a travel cart to maneuver through the airport! Because it can be very compact in rear-facing mode, it will fit in that direction on most airplane seats. Read the manual carefully before flying: the Britax Poplar airplane installation is not the same as a vehicle installation. The airplane seat belt routes over the ClickTight panel. For help with all things airplane travel and car seats, check out our Wheels Up Course and private Facebook group.
Videos
SITS Bottom Line
As long as your vehicle has removable headrests and you are not planning on using this seat from birth, it’s likely a great option for you. It’s easy to install, which makes it great for any caregiver, even older ones, who may have trouble getting a tight installation with other car seats. It’s also very compact front to back, making it a good option for caregivers who are very tall and/or who have more compact vehicles.
Similar Car Seats
Specifications
Britax
Product Information
Weight: 26lbs
Width: 17"
Highest Harness Height: 18"
Rear Facing Limits
Height: 49"
Weight: 5-50lbs
Head Height Rules: at least 1″ below the top of the headrest
Lower Anchor Connectors Weight Limit: 35lbs
Forward-Facing Limits
Height: 49"
Weight: 22-65lbs
Head Height Rules: ears must be below the top of the headrest
Lower Anchor Connectors Weight Limit: 35lbs
No Back Booster Limits
Highest Belt Guide Settings
High Back Booster Limits
Other Important Details
Newborn Fit
not recommended; we have not seen many newborns in it yet
Expiration Limit
10 years
Crash Replacement Policy
replace after a moderate or severe crash
Harness
no-rethread
Lock-off
yes
Vehicle Seat Protector
This brand does not permit a vehicle seat protector.